Cleansing container and closure therefor



Dec. 13, 1960 A. P. JACKSON ET AL 2,964,047

CLEANSING CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed April 2, 1957 WWUA47'roR/vEn CLEANSING CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Albert P. Jacksonand Carl C. Grund, Des Moines, Iowa, assignors to A. C. Alvin Company,Des Moines, Iowa, a co-partnership Filed Apr. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 650,214

7 Claims. (Cl. 134-183) Our invention relates to improvements in acontainer through which a cleansing agent is flushed over articlestherein to be cleansed.

We shall describe our invention, as will later appear, as being used forthe cleansing of dentures but it will be understood that such use isillustrative only and is not intended as limiting the invention theretosince it can be used for many other articles such as machine parts andsimilar items from which dirt, grease and other foreign substances mustbe removed.

One of the important objects contemplated by this invention is theprovision of a novel closure for a container with said closing beingdesigned to admit a flushing agent, to provide means for the exit of thesame and to adequately protect the articles being cleansed fromdisplacement from the container.

Another object herein is to provide an improved container including acleansing compartment for articles to be cleansed, a storage compartmentfor a cleansing agent and means for transferring the cleansing agent tothe cleansing compartment.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a container and closuretherefor of the above class that is extremely economical to manufacture,is durable in construction, refined in appearance and efficient for itsintended use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention reside in the details ofconstruction and correlation of the various parts and will be apparentas the description proceeds.

This invention consists of novel parts and combination of parts to behereinafter described whereby the objects set forth are attained, aspointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of our container and closure therefor,partly in section to more clearly illustrate its construction, 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a preferred embodiment of ourclosure member, with a portion cut away to more fully illustrate itsconstruction,

Fig. 3 is a top view of the closure with the receiving funnel notcompletely formed,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the pin which is used inshaping the receiving funnel, and, Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevationalfragmentary view showing the upper compartment of the containercontaining articles to be cleansed and showing the container inrelationship to a water faucet for receiving water in a flushing action.

Referring to the drawings our container and closure in assembled formready for use is indicated generally at 18 in Fig. l. The container 12is an open top type and includes a partition 14 intermediate the top 16and bottom 18 thereof to form the respective upper and lowercompartments 2i) and 22. Partition 14 as seen in Figs. 1 and 5 is domeshaped so that its central portion 24 (Fig. 1) extends into the uppercompartment 20 at a higher level than the periphery thereof 26 whichnited States atent O is preferably integrally formed with or otherwisesecured to the inner side walls of the container 12. This partition isdesigned to provide a seal between the compartments 20 and 22 except forcommunication between the same through an opening 28 locatedintermediate the periphery 26 and the high dome point 24. A droppermember 30 of common form including a glass or plastic tube 32 topped bya compressible bulb 34 is positioned through opening 28 so that part 32is in the lower compartment 22 while part 34 is partially in the uppercompartment and is partially frictionally seated in opening 28 to serveas a closure therefor.

As thus far described, compartment 22 is designed to hold a supply ofany suitable fluid cleansing agent and compartment 20 is designed tohold an article or articles to be cleansed. A suitable quantity of suchcleansing agent may be transferred from compartment 22 to 20 by means ofthe dropper 38 in a well known manner and when this is being done, itwill be apparent that communication between the two compartments ispresent through opening 28. In this respect, the shape of partition 14and location of opening 28 as described are particularly efiective inpreventing the cleansing agent deposited in compartment 20 from runningback into the lower compartment before stopper 30 is replaced.

Contributing materially to the novelty and usefulness of this inventionis our new closure shown generally by the numeral 36 in Figs. 2 and 3.This closure is a relatively fiat body member designed to fit on the rimof a container and since most containers for our purposes arecylindrical, it is preferably formed in a flat disc shape having aperipheral rim 38 which in cross section is formed as an invertedchannel 40 (Fig. 2) so as to snap snugly onto the top edge of thecontainer 12 as shown in Fig. 1. Closure 36 is preferably made of asuitable flexible and resilient material such as plastic or the likewhich is commercially available and its surface area within the rim 38is provided with a plurality of spaced holes or openings 42 which arealways open and a bendable flap member 44 which serves as a funnel aswill later appear. Flap 44 is semicircular in shape being cut fromclosure 36 along the lines designated 46, 48 and 50 in Fig. 3. As shown,lines 48 and 50 terminate in the respective openings 52 and 54 leavingthe area 56 between these openings as a flexible attachment of flap 44to the body of closure 36. Thus formed, flap 44 is flat but is formedinto an arcuate funnel by turning down the respective ends 58 and 60until they are in parallel spaced relationship as shown in Fig. 2 andsuch ends are held in this position by a plastic bar or rod 62 havinghooks 64 on each end for engaging respectively the small openings 66 inflap ends 58 and 60. Thus formed, flap 44 becomes a funnel with a mouth68 forming an opening through closure 36. Mouth 68 is disposed towardthe rim 38 and normally is partially above and partially below the levelof rim 38 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 which is its inoperable position.Funnel 44, however, is capable of a vertical hinge like movement,because of the flexibility of portion 56, to its operable position shownin Fig. 5 and this has a particular purpose as will later appear.

To use our invention as described, compartment 20 is provided with asuitable amount of a cleansing agent from compartment 22, and thearticle or articles to be cleansed are placed in compartment 20. We showsuch articles as dentures 70 (Fig. 5) for purpose of illusfaucet 72 sothat water may be flushed through I and over the articles 70. This isdone by manually holding the container so that the mouth 68 of funnel 44can be placed about the outlet end of the faucet (Fig. 5) and thentilting the container so that the closure portion containing the holes42 slopes downwardly away from the faucet as shown. In this positionfunnel 44 will have been swung upwardly on its hinged connecting portion56 and thus the back side 74 of funnel 44 (Pig. 5) becomes in eflfect abaflle element disposed angularly across the outlet end of faucet 72.When faucet 72 is opened, water follows a path outlined generally by thearrows 76. A good portion of the water flow will be deflected by thebaflie-like side 74 of the funnel against the side of container 12 incompartment 20, then through such compartment in a turbulent actionagainst the articles and cleansing agent, and then out of openings 42.The size, number and spacing of holes 42 is arbitrary but should providesufficient outlet passages to permit a free flow of water therethroughunder ordinary water main pressure. When funnel 44 is removed fromcontact with the faucet 72, the resiliency of the material of which itis made will automatically cause it to return to its inoperable positionas shown in Fig. 2.

It will be appreciated from the above description that our novel closuremember 36 includes not only a water inlet port and a plurality ofoutlets therefor but also serves as means to hold articles 70 Within thecontainer during the turbulence of the water passing through. In thisrespect while we have illustrated and described the container 12 whichwe preferably use with this closure, it is to be understood that ourclosure can be used as described on any suitable open top containersince means for entrance and exit of water is provided for entirelywithin the construction of the closure itself.

It will be understood that the phraseology, employed herein is for thepurpose of description and not for limitation and that modifications andchanges in the construction and arrangement of this invention can bemade within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from thespirit and purpose thereof. It is thus intended to cover by the claims,any modified forms of structure or mechanical equivalents which may bereasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for use in cleansing articles, comprising, an open topcontainer, a removable closure therefor, said closure having an inletand an outlet adapted to be continuously open, an arcuate funnelintegrally formed With and of the same material as said closure andcommunicating with said inlet, and said funnel adapted for engagementwith a water faucet so that the closed end of said funnel is angularlydisposed across the mouth of said faucet to serve as a bafile wherebywater from the faucet is deflected against one side of said containerinto a turbulent flow and passes out of said outlet.

2. Apparatus for use in cleansing articles, comprising, an open topcontainer, a removable closure therefor, said closure being disc shapedof flexible material and including a peripheral rim designed forattachment to said container, a portion of said closure within andadjacent said rim slit to provide a flap bendable into an arcuate funnelso that the open side is disposed toward said rim, means to hold saidflap in a funnel shape, said funnel serving as an inlet opening, saidclosure provided with an outlet opening within the confines of said rimand spaced from said funnel, said inlet and outlet adapted to becontinuously open, and said funnel adapted for engagement with a waterfaucet so that the closed side of said funnel is angularly disposedacross the mouth of said faucet to serve as a bafiie whereby water fromthe faucet is deflected against the rear side of said container into aturbulent flow and passes through said container and out of said outlet.

: 3. Apparatus for use in cleansing articles, comprising,

an open top container, a removable closure therefor, said closure formedof flexible material, one end portion of said closure slit to provide aflexible flap bendable into an arcuate funnel so that the open side isdisposed toward the adjacent end of said closure, means to hold saidflap in a funnel shape, said funnel capable of a hinge-like movement andserving as an inlet opening, said closure provided with an outletopening spaced from said funnel, said inlet and outlet adapted to becontinuously open, and said funnel adapted for engagement with a waterfaucet so that the closed side of said funnel is angularly disposedacross the mouth of said faucet to serve as a baflle whereby water fromthe faucet is deflected against one side of said container into aturbulent flow as it passes through said container and out of saidoutlet.

4. Apparatus for use in cleansing articles, comprising an open topcontainer, a removable closure therefor, said closure being of flexiblematerial, a portion of said closure defining a flap bendable into anarcuate funnel having its open side adjacent and disposed toward an edgeof said closure, means to hold said flap in a funnel shape, said funnelintegrally attached to said closure whereby said point of attachmentafiords a hinged movement for said funnel, said funnel serving as aninlet into said container through said closure, said closure providedwith an outlet spaced from the closed side of said funnel, said inletand outlet adapted to be continuously open, and said funnel adapted forengagement with a water faucet so that the closed side of said funnel isangularly disposed across the mouth of said faucet to serve as a battlewhereby water from the faucet is deflected against the adjacent side ofsaid container into a turbulent flow and passes in a continuous streamthrough said container and out of said outlet.

5'. A closure for a container to be used for cleansing articles placedtherein, said closure comprising a flat body member of flexible materialadapted for removable attachment to the open top of a container, saidbody member provided with a plurality of spaced fluid outlet holesadapted to be continuously open, one end portion of said body memberdefining a flexible flap bendable into a fluid inlet arcuate funnelforming an opening in said body member, the open side of said funneldisposed toward the adjacent end of said closure, and means to hold saidflap in a funnel shape.

6. A closure for a container to be used for cleansing articles placedtherein, said closure comprising a body member of flexible materialadapted for removable attachment to the open top of a container, saidbody member provided with a plurality of spaced fluid outlet holesadapted to be continuously open, and a portion of said body memberdefining a flap formable into an arcuate funnel for serving both as afluid inlet opening in said body member and as a baffle means to deflectfluid passing therethrough against one side of the interior of saidcontainer.

7. A closure for a container to be used for cleansing articles placedtherein, said closure comprising a substantially flat body member offlexible resilient material adapted for removable attachment to the opentop of a container, said body member provided with a plurality of spacedholes adapted to be continuously open, a portion of said body memberdefining a flap formable into an arcuate elongated funnel defining anopening in said body member, said funnel normally in inoperable positionwherein the longitudinal axis of said funnel is parallel to andsubstantially on the same plane as said body member, said funnel movableto operable position in a hinge-like movement at its point of integralresilient attachment to said body member by manually engaging it againstan object such as a water faucet or like wherein the longitudinal axisof said funnel is angularly disposed relative to said body member, andsaid funnel adapted for automatically returning to inoperable positionwhen References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSPeters Apr. 9, 1918 6 Mills May 22, 1934 Glickman Oct. 23, 1945 GravenoApr. 14, 1953 Jackson Nov. 17, 1953 Domingo Feb. 22, 1955 Davis May 15,1956 Cicero May 29, 1956

